SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Denver's Nikola Jokic and Philadelphia's Joel Embiid squared off Monday night in a nationally televised game that pitted premier big man vs. premier big man and captured the attention of NBA fans on social media.
In San Antonio, Karl-Anthony Towns was driving and firing away with one message – don't forget about me.
Towns eclipsed how own franchise record Monday night by scoring 60 points in a 149-139 Wolves victory over San Antonio.
If the 60 points was Towns' Sistine Chapel, the third quarter was his "Adam's Creation," the masterpiece within the masterwork. Towns scored an eye-popping 32 points in the third on 9-for-13 shooting. That included five three-pointers and a perfect 9-for-9 at the free-throw line.
Towns hit a three-pointer as he fell down with 37.7 seconds remaining in the period, and the AT&T Center let out moans of disbelief. The few Wolves fans in attendance could hardly contain themselves. Towns followed that with a layup with 12.8 seconds remaining, and at that moment he tied his own franchise record of 56 points. Earlier in the quarter he also passed Kevin Love to set a franchise record with his 11th 40-point game. He finished 19-for-31, 5-for-6 from three-point range, and 15-for-16 from the foul line.
There was still a whole quarter to play. He would get to 60, setting the new franchise record plus the league-wide high point total for the season.
Coach Chris Finch sensed Towns was on his way to a special night when he scored 11 points early in Saturday's game against Miami. Foul trouble derailed that.
Entering Monday's game, the Wolves were thin in the frontcourt with Naz Reid (back spasms) and Jarred Vanderbilt (left quad contusion) both out. The Wolves were going to need as much as Towns could give. He gave them everything: step backs, drives to the rim, proficient free-throw shooting, and even a technical foul and flagrant foul. Monday was all sides of Towns in all their glory, warts and all. One of those warts, foul trouble, prevented an even bigger night for Towns. He picked up fouls on two consecutive possessions about a minute after checking back into the game in the fourth quarter. That gave him five with 6 minutes, 34 seconds remaining and the Wolves ahead 131-114.
Finch pulled him for Anthony Edwards and went with a small-ball lineup with Jaden McDaniels at the five.
Towns found success in the first driving to the basket for 14 points and five rebounds. D'Angelo Russell had it going from outside, as he hit all six of his shots in the first quarter, three from three-point range. Towns and Russell combined for 29 of the Wolves 40 points in the first quarter.
Towns played all of the first quarter and Finch went back to him early in the second. He played more than 20 minutes in the first half and finished with 24 points by halftime.
His monster night helped the Wolves just flat outscore the Spurs on a night neither team felt like playing much defense. The Wolves seat a season-high for points.
As Towns stepped to the line with 2:19 in the fourth, he needed just one point to break his own franchise record, which he set on March 28, 2018. Anthony Edwards led the small chorus of Wolves fans in "MVP" chants. Towns hit the second of two free throws for 57. Moments later, he hit a deep three with 1:38 to play and exited as his teammates mobbed him on the floor.
Towns couldn't help but smile.
